Asa Coleman facts for kids

Asa Coleman was an American politician who was born into slavery. He later became a free man. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates, which is an important part of the government in Virginia. He was a member of the Republican Party. In 2012, he was honored by the state of Virginia for his work in government.

Asa Coleman's Early Life

Not much is known about Asa Coleman's early life. He was likely born in the early 1830s in North Carolina. He was born into slavery. This meant he was not free and had to work without pay.

Later, he gained his freedom. He then moved to Virginia. Records show he worked as a carpenter in Halifax County. He also bought land in the late 1800s.

Coleman was married twice. He had at least one son with his first wife, Amanda. He passed away sometime after February 14, 1893. On that date, he officially gave his belongings to his wife and other family members.

Asa Coleman's Political Work

Asa Coleman was elected to the House of Delegates in 1871. He served in three sessions. These sessions took place from December 1871 to April 1873. During his time, he worked to make things better for people.

Bills and Laws

Coleman tried to pass a bill to stop punishment by whipping. He also supported a civil rights bill. This bill aimed to give equal rights to all people. He also introduced a law about schools. This law would have allowed children of white fathers to attend white public schools. This was important because children born to enslaved mothers and white fathers could then go to better schools. These schools were usually much better than those for African American children.

Staying Active in Politics

Coleman did not run for re-election in 1873. However, he stayed very active in politics. He joined a political committee. This group worked to solve the problem of people not having enough jobs. He also strongly supported better education for African American children.

In 1875, Coleman tried to run for the House of Delegates again. But he was not successful that time. Later in his life, Coleman joined the Readjuster Party. Many African Americans joined this party during that time. He also became a member of the Republican Party of Virginia. This happened after they separated from the Readjuster Party in 1884.

See also

• African-American officeholders during and following the Reconstruction era